![]() ![]() ![]() Autocrats have created a more favorable international environment for themselves over the past decade and a half, empowered by their own political and economic might as well as waning pressure from democracies. The share of the world’s population living in Free environments has fallen as authoritarian practices proliferate. Share of the world’s population living in Free, Partly Free, and Not Free environments, 2005-2021. The leaders of China, Russia, and other dictatorships have succeeded in shifting global incentives, jeopardizing the consensus that democracy is the only viable path to prosperity and security, while encouraging more authoritarian approaches to governance. The fruits of their exertions are now apparent. ![]() Governments that relied on external economic or military support had to stage at least superficially credible elections and respect some institutional checks on their power, among other concessions, to maintain their good standing.įor much of the 21st century, however, democracy’s opponents have labored persistently to dismantle this international order and the restraints it imposed on their ambitions. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, leaders of countries in transition felt compelled to publicly embrace the same ideals in order to win acceptance in the international community, even if their commitment was only skin deep. In the decades after World War II, the United Nations and other international institutions promoted the notion of fundamental rights, and democracies offered support-however unevenly-in their domestic and foreign policies as they strove to create an open international system built on shared resistance to totalitarianism. Only about 20 percent now live in Free countries.ĭuring this period of democratic decline, checks on abuse of power and human rights violations have eroded. As of today, some 38 percent of the global population live in Not Free countries, the highest proportion since 1997. A total of 60 countries suffered declines over the past year, while only 25 improved. The present threat to democracy is the product of 16 consecutive years of decline in global freedom. The global order is nearing a tipping point, and if democracy’s defenders do not work together to help guarantee freedom for all people, the authoritarian model will prevail. Those countries that have struggled in the space between democracy and authoritarianism, meanwhile, are increasingly tilting toward the latter. ![]() In countries with long-established democracies, internal forces have exploited the shortcomings in their systems, distorting national politics to promote hatred, violence, and unbridled power. Authoritarian regimes have become more effective at co-opting or circumventing the norms and institutions meant to support basic liberties, and at providing aid to others who wish to do the same. Around the world, the enemies of liberal democracy-a form of self-government in which human rights are recognized and every individual is entitled to equal treatment under law-are accelerating their attacks. (Freedom House) – Global freedom faces a dire threat. Only about 20 percent now live in Free countries. Countries with aggregate score declines in the Freedom in the World report have outnumbered those with gains every year for the past 16 years. Aggregated democracy scores for countries that have experienced changes democratic governance, 2005-2021. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |